Morning journal and courier., 1887-05-16
aomE ANn HomE L1rE.
Marriage Considered as Divine In.
 stttutfOn and as tho Foundation of

Marriage Considered as a Divine In.
 stttutfOn and as tho Foundation of
 the HOme-Sermon by Rev. pr. Reed.
 At Trinity M. B. church last evening the pastor, Rev. Dr. Reed, delivered the first of series of sermons on the subject of "Home and Home Life" The large church was filled to it's utmost capacity and the discourse was listened to with deep interest. Dr. Reed selected as the basis of his discourse the words found in Genesis, 2d chapter, 24th verse: Therefore shall man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh" In his opening remarks Dr. Reed spoke in sub stance as follows: Purposing with the dis course of this evening to begin a series of sermons on the general subject of ''The Home and Home Life," series in which we propose to discuss such topics as marriage, its divine origin and authority, the felicities and infelicities of domestic life, their causes and their cure, the sanctity of the marriage covenant, the duties and responsibilities of parents and of children, together with the be preserved-topics not ordinarily treated in the words of pulpit ministration-it will be fitting for us to say that these topics have been selected for the following reasons:
 I. Because they are topics not usually discussed in Christian congregations.
 life none have such far reaching influence upon the d tS % ana oesny oI men as nnose or tne nome
 III Because, as we hold of all institutions, di- vine or human, marriage is save the Sabbath, with which, indeed, it is coeval, the most venerable and
 ". Because, being divine institution it is es- sential to it's popularity that the great principles upon which it is based should be thoroughly known and recognized
 V. Because as a divine institution it is guarded by certain immutable laws, the destruction of which would mean the undermining of the whole
 Last because we recognize the fact that to day being menaced by foes more dangerous and insidi ous than ma many seem to tnlnk-dangers neh unless lily life and to the State as well.
 Here the speaker enlarged upon the spread in these later times of loose views in regard to the binding nature of the marriage con tract-views which rob it of it's divine sanc- tion, degrade it to the level of a mere civil contract, terminable at the option of the par ties interested; to alarming frequency of di- yorce; the frivolousness characteristic of many proposing to enter the estate; the crime against true marriage incident upon the ex- istence in America of polygamy, etc., show ing that already there existed in this fair land condition of affairs which for fragrant, disheartening wickedness was unsurpassed, in A4NHy 4SSkSOSOo3 Dy bAO SO4AAtAOA III ASSeAOAAo supposed to be vastly inferior in culture and civilization to ourselves.
 To meet these dangers men who have regard for the we'll being of society must move; public sentiment must be edu- cated, and that public sentiment be educat- ed the true doctrine concerning marriage as revealed in it's history and in the divine laws concerning it must be set forth until the people shall hear and feel their force.
 In the course of his remarks he referred to the existence of polygamy in this country, and said that it was a terrible shame that nation of fifty millions of people should sub init. He characterized it as a blighting, whitening curse to the nation that should long ago have been wiped out by the strong arm of military power. The loose laws regarding divorce in many of the States also received share of the speakers attention. While he did not doubt that the State had right to regulate marriages as they had the proper observance of the Sab bath, yet marriage being something more than civil contract the State had no right to take it under it's control in defiance of the laws of God.
 Hasty marriages without stopping to con- slider the sacredness of the relation about to be established was deplored as too often leading to unhappy results, and the point urged that there should be an assurance that the smile of God rested upon those about to unite in solemn and sacred con- pact of marriage.